Lucille Lewis
Cornerstone Literacy Faculty

 

Searching for just the right word? Sound familiar?

We mentally scan an abundance of words to find just the right one to describe, make a point, or express our feelings. Words are power! Worlds have been shaped by words eloquently spoken and relationships fragmented by words hastily, cruelly uttered.

And yet the children we serve, have few words, both in their oral and written language. They are restricted to their community's conversational words, and rhythms, fast food jingles, and ahhh, yes…TV banter. The world becomes a different place without a repertoire of words.

" Psychologist's know that basic language patterns are formed very early, with the basic language structures firmly in place by age 5. We learn language, perhaps the most complex of all of our systems of knowledge, by imitation rather than by prescription." (A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Ruby Payne, p. 170)

Studies indicate that children in poverty come to school with half the words of the child who has benefited from a rich linguistic environment. Some studies indicate that children of poverty come with 500 words opposed to their contemporary's 7,000 words. The preparation gap is profound and cannot be overstated.

The gap can be closed by explicit language development intervention activities in the classroom. Language is a gift we can give each other. Let's think together with a sense of urgency how this can daily occur in your classroom, empowering the children that spend their days with you and each other.

Infuse the daily routine with rich meaningful words. Listen to your own speech. We tend to use the same expressions and rhythm. Listen when the children "play teacher." Your favorite phrases will be evident! How rich is your classroom vernacular? How thoughtful and insightful are your questions? Children respond to a complex and challenging vocabulary, as evident in a classroom at Freedman, for instance. The students exhibit an extensive vocabulary. In listening to the teacher and viewing the room rich with vocabulary offerings, it was evident they reflect the teacher's high expectations and reciprocate her elevated speech.

Here are some ideas - add your own:

Enter books
Lots of books - read together, or alone, but always discussed with someone. We gain a clearer understanding of the author's intent and our interaction with the author when we talk about it. Book Clubs, turn and talk, conversation with the teacher, and each other expand our understanding and use of language.

Reporting the weather in lyrical language
The meteorologist of the day announces the weather and temperature. Read Carl Sandburg's "the fog crept in softly on cat feet" or Robert Frost's description of a "snowy evening" or Pooh's Blustery Day.

In my classroom, we helped each other each day to announce the weather using what we called "delightful-for-the-tongue-and-ear words". A crowning day was when a kindergarten child reported a windy day by saying "The wind is playing tag with the leaves."

Praise Words
Each day chart a combination of words to be used in the classroom as praise words for the day. Amazingly awesome, incredibly insightful, beyond belief, and the list goes on and on.

Sing, Sing, Sing
In a Stemley second grade classroom, the unit of study focused on immigration. Neil Diamond's Coming to America was used as a read aloud, sing-aloud and transitional music. Observing in the classroom, we scripted several instances of children using words from the song in their conversational speech.

Emotions
Write a variety of emotions such as sad, funny, embarrassing, etc. on cards. One child will pull a card and display the emotion with body language. Looking only at the body language, the second child will describe the emotion in words.
Select a child to act out a character's reaction to a given situation. Say "Freeze!" and ask another child to describe the event in words. (Thanks, Maplewood!)

Social role-playing
Have students practice introducing a friend and carrying on a conversation for two minutes, perform as host of the classroom, greeting visitors, taking them for a tour of the classroom, answering questions, or being able to articulate what you are doing. Use every minute - even when washing hands, standing in line, chanting, words in interesting patterns, asking children to silently think of words that rhyme or describe the person standing in front of them in line in detail.

Play word games
Use words that sound alike and make up silly sayings. "I see a PIE in the SKY. Do you see a KEY in the TREE?"

Words purposefully infused in classroom language
This word can be part of a reading or a necessary word for children to describe their work. In our kindergarten classroom, our word was concentration. I was feeling ebullient when the children were using the word in the reading and living center. Much to my dismay, it doesn't always work. John was working intently at the math center when a child passed by and he said, "Don't bother me, I am constipating."

Choral reading
Not only will you be exposing your children to a different rhythm and expression, they will also be successful as they "become one" to read a selection with one voice. (Johns, Jerry L., Bergland, Roberta L., Fluency Questions Answers Evidence-Based Strategies. Dubuque, Kendall/Hunt. 2002. ISBN: 0-7872-9143-9.)

Collect delicious, juicy words
Listen for delicious, juicy words while reading aloud or in conversation. A collection of these words can be kept in a word journal to review before oral discussions or writing.

Geographical expressions
As depicted in books, different ways of expressing oneself can be noted. (Ex. "We gets to the fields early, before it is even light." Working Cotton by Sherley Williams.) Interpretation of the colloquialism so that all will understand can be done in small or whole groups, understanding that our conversational tones and vocabularies are different and culturally important. The next step is toward Standard English and expression.

Math and Science
To familiarize students with the math and science language, create a rich science/math environment with opportunities for questioning and inquiry. Provide time and materials to wonder, probe, and exchange perspectives, encouraging enlivened and deepened conversations. For example, in the block center, make a habit of naming the structures correctly - roads, houses, tunnels, skyscrapers, etc. Use correct terms - arch, column, longer, shorter, perimeter, area - as children represent and document their work.

Let's talk it out
Explicitly teach words that denote emotion, getting your way, or getting your point across. Identifying the emotions in characters in books as they relate to themselves or someone they know. A CD by Red Grammer called Teaching Peace is an example.

Use a Word
When someone makes you slip
And you wanta bruise their lip
Use a Word
When someone grabs your book
And you go for our left hook
Use a Word
" Cause we can work I out that's
What words were invented for
We can work it out it's the best way
There is for sure
To fight over something is absurd
So for Pete's sake use a word
Smilin' Atcha Music

Analyze the comprehension strategies with the notion that that oral language is a vital part of each strategy. Language enables each student to develop an inner voice creating deeper understandings, vibrant visual images, provocative questions and wonderment.

The Regional meetings are focusing on assessment as it relates to curriculum. Oral language assessment impacts curriculum significantly as we precisely engage in oral development.

Resources are attached beginning with a PowerPoint presentation created by McKay and Lewis to refresh our thinking about language development. The comprehension strategies and six queuing systems have oral language components. They are clearly stated in the speaking and listening section of the framework. The assessment can be as simple as charting words used in conversation or as complex as observing children's social interactions. (Examples are found on page 93 to 96 in Building Structures by Chalufour andWorth.)

Find the instrument that meets your needs. We believe children learn to read by reading and to write by writing. May we add, enrich their day by talking!

Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But words will move my mountains!

 

Resources:
Block, Cathy Collins, Rodgers, Lori L., and Johnson, Rebecca B., "Comprehension Process Instruction: Creating Reading Success in Grades K-3", Assessment of Comprehension, Ch. 10. New York, Guilford Press. ISBN: 1-59385-024-7.

Boyd-Batstone, Paul. (2004) "Focused anecdotal records assessment: A tool for standards-based authentic assessment". International Reading Association

Chalufour, Ingrid, and Worth, Karen, Building structures with Young Children. Redleaf Press, St. Paul.
ISBN: 1-929610-50-5

Elkind, David, (2004). Thanks for the Memory: The Lasting Value of True Play in Spotlight on Young Children and Play. National Association for the Education of Young Children, U.S. Government Printing. ISBN: 1-928896-16-2

Fox, Stephen. "The Controversy over Ebonics." Phi Delta Kappan. November 1997. Volume 79. Number 3. p. 240.

Investing in future academic success, CEA Advisor, (January 2005). Hartford. Article concerning Maplewood Annex.

Krashen, S.D., & Terress, T.D. (1983). The natural approach: Language acquisition in the classroom. San Francisco: Albany Press.

Luce, Pat, and Knapp, Leslie. (January 2005) Respect and Care for young Minds: Mel Levine's Schools attuned Program in Washington Parent.

Moore-Hart, Peggy, (Winter 2004/2005). "Creating Learning Environments That Invite All Students To Learn Through Multicultural Literature and Information Technology in Childhood Education" in the Journal of the Association for Childhood Educational International. ISSN: 0009-4056.

Muchin, Suzanne. Civitas Initiative, www.civitas.org.

Oral Assessment Chart, Saskatchewan Education, (Feb 2000) Early Literacy: A Resource for Teachers. www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/evergreen/ele/e/literacy/ndex.html.

Payne, Ruby. A Framework for Understanding Poverty

Frost, Robert. Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, ISBN: 525467343.

Sandberg, Carl. "Fog" Childcraft, The How and Why Library, Chicago: 1964. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation.

Sheffer, Cherie Satterfield, (2004). Teachers Can Learn (Almost) Everything They Need to Know About ESL From Kindergarten. Little Rock. Southern Early Childhood Association, vol. 32, number 3, p. 31.